folding sawhorse video

[merrill77]

Travis reminded me at lunch yesterday that I had not made good on my promise to get him some details on my sawhorses. I still have not had time to put together plans or drawings, but I did whip together a quick video demo. Last time I tried, video on the North Carolina Woodworker site didn't work so well (perhaps fixed?), so I've put it on my site:

http://christophermerrill.net/ww/shop/FoldingSawhorses.html

Note that my site is hosted from home over TWC, so you can safely assume the download will be slow. The video file is about 7MB and about 90 seconds long.

 

[NCPete]

chris, I think your sawhorses need to go through further stress testing. Looking at your photo's and video, I believe I can provide the necessary stress to ensure a significantly higher safety factor. This stress testing may take some time, but what value has time against safety?

P.S. nice job!

 

[merrill77]

chris, I think your sawhorses need to go through further stress testing. Looking at your photo's and video, I believe I can provide the necessary stress to ensure a significantly higher safety factor. This stress testing may take some time, but what value has time against safety?

P.S. nice job!

What a generous offer! I'll need your address so I can deliver them. Please write down your address and affix it to a SawStop Contractor saw with Professional Series 36" T-Glide Fence System & extension table, 30" outfeed table, mobile base, cast iron wings, zero-clearance inserts and dado brake cartridge. Your sawhorses will be delivered immediately upon receipt

(was the NPR reference too obscure?)

 

[Mt. Gomer]

(was the NPR reference too obscure?)

:rotflm: Nope, dead on!

Once question about the video: Why the slide to the side before raising the top? Can't see the details from the pics/vid. Is there a catch in there somewhere that prevents them from raising when in the lowered position?

 

[merrill77]

:rotflm: Nope, dead on!

Once question about the video: Why the slide to the side before raising the top? Can't see the details from the pics/vid. Is there a catch in there somewhere that prevents them from raising when in the lowered position?

Yeah, I still need to either draw up the plans or do some more detailed video or pictures of the inner workings, because this is hard to explain. There are 2 channels inside the sawhorse rails (the main horizontal parts with handles, hinges, etc) that the top supports (which support the movable top) can slide through. When folded, the top supports are in a channel formed in the sawhorse rails by a regular dado cut. When you unfold it, that channel opens wide as well, leaving the top supports to swing side-to-side (from the bottom). When they top is not extended, the top is still supported by the sawhorse rails and quite usable that way. However, when extended, the top is then very wobbly. So there is a second channel in the sawhorse rails that is cut at the opposite angle that the legs open up to. When the legs are open, this channel is then parallel with the top supports, holding them stable.

That explanation probably doesn't help much...it desperately needs pictures, which I hope to get to eventually.

 

[Mt. Gomer]

Ahhh, I think I get it, the opposite ange thing makes sense....